Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Flames
by mak00
Summary: harry receves a letter from gringots about something left in his parents will. what he gets will make his life a whole lot better.  i have changed the rating to M due to language and planned violece.
1. Chapter 1 letter

Hands in the air! This is an edit!

i have just had my work betta'd, so the story shall be on hold for a short while whilst i correct stuff.

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><p>edit 2: this starts in the summer befor fourth year at hogwarts. it is an alternative GOF fic. everything in the book up to this point has happened, and i may or may not change anything after this point (ie, Horcruxes). this story has no real pairing.<p>

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><p><strong>disclamer: i hold no rights to anything you recognise. all canon things belong to JKR, and we can squabble over anything else.<strong>

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><p><em>An extract from the diary of the Potters: "When performing the summoning spell "<em>accio_", if you swish your want to the left, rather than the right, you will achieve a much faster summon"_

Harry sat on his bed, in Priver Drive, Little Whinging, reading his History of Magic textbook.

for the seventeenth time that summer.

He had just woken up, and looking blearily at his watch, he saw it was around half six - much to early. only in the last week had he had decided to try and finish at least _some_ homework, but his History of Magic stuff had occupeid all of his attention so far. He still couldn't see how _anyone_ could be able to tell the deference between the Gobbledegook for gold and for death, because as far as Harry could see, it was just the placement of the dot. But Professor Binns insisted they be able to at least read the goblin poem "Bladvak akray narosom", so that's what Harry was doing. He had just reached the good bit (as far as his understanding of Gobledegook went) when a sharp rap came at his window. Glancing up, he frowned at the official looking owl that bore the Gringott's crest on a leather harness around chest.

He walked to the window in his pyjamas, uncaring what the neighbours saw (as it was unlikely they could think any worse of him), let the owl in before it woke the Dursleys, and carried the owl back to his bed. It was a large tawny owl, and was carrying a letter in its beak. Harry took the letter, slit it open with his finger and he began to read aloud.

"_To Mr. H. Potter_

_We at Gringott's Magical Bank ask for your presence at your earliest convenience to go over a matters concerning your parent's will. Please find enclosed a portkey that shall take you directly to Gringotst' foyer."_

At this, Harry picked up a large ring with a crest, carved into a stone, set at the top depicting a pottery fire and a lion, and a small note with_ "Potter family ring" _attached, and examined it. The ring itself was rather large, and made of some sort of whitish-blue metal that glimmered in the early light. The stone was a ruby. Harry, being a teenage boy, and therefore not very nright at the best of times, slipped it over his right index finger, then gasped in pain as it shrank to fit his finger, before vanishing. Shaking his hand to rid it of the pins and needles that had run up his arm, Harry continued to read, noticing the continued weight on his finger.

_"The portkey is also your family ring, and putting it on will give you access to the Potter family magic and home. Saying the activation phrase 'Gringott's' "_

And with that, harry disappeared from Little Whinging, Surrey, with a pop, and was spun through the air to london, leaving behind a disbeleiving Hedwig, and a house of comatose Dursleys

As the invisible ring around Harry's finger sent him spinning towards Gringott's, Harry main thought was that it was REALLY lucky that he didn't sleep naked.


	2. Chapter 2 golden road

**I don't own this. I have never owned this. I will never own this. I am making no money of this. I have never made any money of this. any character and places are jk rowling's except any OCs that may occur. These are mine.**

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><p><em>Extract from the Potters family diary: "...Tolls are easy to confuse, just not that easy to kill. In fact, shouting spells at it is going to do more harm than good, as the loud noises and lights will drive it berserk. The only way to reliably deal with a troll is to speak slowly and calmly, as the troll will sometimes confuse your voice for its own thoughts, and will obey your commands"<em>

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><p>Harry impacted on the marble floor of Gringott's with a hard thump and went skidding, coming to a stop against the feet of a rather amused looking goblin.<p>

"Accidentally activated your portkey, Mr. potter?"

When Harry nodded the goblin let out a short harsh bark of laughter.

"Never mind, never mind. How about you withdraw some money from you vault and then go and get some new robes? When we said 'at your conveyance' we went expecting it to be convenient for a few hours at least, so we still have a few final preparations to do. If you would like, I can come? I'm sure I remember this v_ery _nice robe shop just…" Harry tuned him out slightly, and then, when the goblin had fallen silent, Harry asked the question he had been wondering since reading the letter.

"Excuse me, but, well, why are you being so polite? I don't mean to be offensive or anything," he ploughed on quickly "its just… normally I'm treated as though I'm costing goblins more money than I'm worth just by talking to them."

The goblin looked thoughtful for a second, and then said, "I believe mr. Potter, that would be because you were. However, now that the ministry has finally paid Mr. Riddle's bounty, you are one of the richest people in wizarding England. We respect wealth," He continued, forestalling Harry's next question. "Even more so when wealth won or worked for, not just inherited."

Harry nodded. That made sense. No, wait, it didn't. It was crazy. But he was learning to expect that with the magical world. The goblins next question got them both back on track.

"Now, about those robes Mr. Potter?"

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><p>As they left Gringots, Harry learnt the goblins name was Blackclaw. Harry turned up the alley for Madam Malkin's, but Blackclaw took his arm in one long fingered hand and led him down a side alley.<p>

It was a lot better than Knocktern, Harry decided. For one thing, it was bright and airy, and obviously expensive. someone glided past with robes that seemed to be spun from liquid fire, and another had a medalian around his neck so large Harry was suprised the man could stand. Everyone around them was wearing gold rings and jewellery. he knew the whole alley was the kind of place where if you had to ask the price, you couldn't afford what they had.

The next thing that struck Harry was how quiet it was. There was perhaps tfour other people out here, where as Diagon had had around a hundred, despite the early hour.

"Blackclaw, where are we?" whispered Harry

"We are on the Golden Road. A descriptive name, if not the best humanking has ever come up with"

This caused Harry to stare down at the floor, and, sure enough, the floor was made of golden tiles, fitted together in intricate shapes and patterns. This held Harry's attention for long enough that Blackclaw could steer him into a robe shop to attract the proprietor.

The sound of the bell ringing brought Harry to his senses, and he gazed around the shop. There didn't seem to be any clothes on display, just racks of fabrics and mirrors. The shop wasn't very large, but it seemed that everything else was there.

As Harry was looking around, he felt a sharp tap on his head, and a sensation rather like a band of air spinning around his body, rather like flying a broom slowly around the pitch. Looking round, he saw a man that reminded him somewhat of Olivander, but slightly younger. The man was staring intently at small numbers flashing into view above his wand, and when he finally turned to look at Harry, his eyes were a flat blue, like the sky. No pupil was visible at all.

"ah, mr. Potter" the mans voice was like rolling thunder "I take it, from your current state of undress, you are here for robes, yes?" the man fixed his full attention to Harry, and it was all he could do to nod. There where actually clouds in his eyes! They reminded harry of the one time he had ever been on a plaine with the dursleys. he had spent the journey with his nose pressed against the window, whatching the clouds drift past.

In response to Harry's hesitant nod, the man swept away, and pulled a large rack of black material towards him, before stopping suddenly, as if someone had have hit him with a body-bind. His head turned to the side, and he seemed to be listening to something.

"I would get that wand checked if I where you, Mr. Potter… now then, would you like all the fittings on your robes? Excellent, you have fine taste. So… let me see… ah! That's where I left it!"

The man continued to mutter under his breath, boxes of fabric flying towards him, scissors intercepting them, and magical needles flashing in the sun. After about five minute of this, he spun on his chair so forcefully that he completed two complete rotations before coming to a halt facing Harry, a box in his hands.

"This box contains 3 black robes, with a dragon skin protective layering, built in disillusionment charm, and anti theft enchantments; one set of dress robes, anti theft enchantments, and auto adjust style and colou; one set of muggle clothes, set to change to the current fashion at a thought, and one wizards hat. You are familiar with the sorting hat yes? Well this hat is nothing like that hat. It will talk, eventually, but it has no word bank yet. It will learn in time, off you, and will start to talk eventually, but until then, it is just an exceptionally nice hat. Will that be all Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded, and Blackclaw paid. With several bags of galleons.

As they left the shop, Harry, now dressed in his new smart robes, and his hat on his head, looked up at the sign above then door. It read 'Gryffindor tailoring. Family run since 396 BM' *

As they walked towards the next stop, Harry asked "Blackclaw, just how rich am I?"

"Look at it this way Mr. Pottor. The Malfoys are one of the richest wizading families you will have met, and they are not rich enough to step foot on the golden road. It is an exclusive shopping district for those who have at least two vaults. Full vaults. Full of Galeons"

harry giggled slightly at the thought of Draco Malfoys face if he were to be denied entry _anywhere_. Let alone becouse he was to poor! Harry's laughter hadn't abated by the time they had reached the next stop on Golden road: Ravenwand's.

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><p>Harry expected it to be like Ollivanders: mysterious, dusty, and dark. Instead, it was a clean, well ordered shop with a middle aged, brown haired woman already behind the counter.<p>

"Good morning Mr. Potter" her voice was smooth, and her eyes were, thank goodness, normal. "I understood that you already had a wand?" she continued.

"I do" Harry had to fight to keep himself from calling her Ma'am "but the man in the robe shop said I should have it checked, so here I am."

"Well, pass it over here and give me some blood, I can start on that straight away. Graham never sends someone who doesn't need it."

Harry handed over his wand, and was directed to a small brown bowl with a silver knife in it. He carefully slit his fingertip, grateful for the apparent numbing and healing charms on the knife, as his finger healed almost instantly. The bowl flashed white as his blood splashed into it, and then darkened to a pitch black. Meanwhile, the woman was waving his wand, and red sparks where trailing from the tip.

"Excuse me, but what do those colours mean?"

"It's a scale Mr. Potter. It ranges through the colour spectrum; black the weakest, going up through the spectrum until red, then white, which is the highest. these red sparks show how much magic the wand can handle. It is a good wand. Very few wands can handle this much magic without cracking or snapping."

She looked over to the bowl and her face fell.

"Oh dear… I thought you would be… never mind dear… never mind"

Blackclaw, who had been sheilding his eys croaked out "What_ is_ that?" pointing at the dark bowl.

"What?" both Harry and the lady said

"The bowl… its glowing! Like a body in the tunnels"

"Mr. Blackclaw" the lady said, suddenly very serious. "Can goblins see infra-red?"

"What? Yes. It helps us see others in the tunnels"

"What's going on?" asked Harry, thoroughly confused.

"Harry, your magic is outside the visible light. It is stronger than it should be, much stronger. Your wand literally couldn't channel all the magic you where pushing through it. What happened when you first got your wand? think carefully; it will help me choose a better match for you now."

"Uh, sparks, some light, and a bit of wind…"

"Hmm… well, I recommend you keep this wand for delicate schoolwork, but you need a new wand before you burn out the magic core from this one!"

The lady vanished the blood from the bowl, letting Blackclaw drop his arm to his side, and then bustled off and returned with three wands in tow.

"One of these wands should fit you much better. Here, the first wand: Gopher wood and dryad's hair, 12 inches. Good for outdorsy magic"

Harry took it, and remembering his first wand trip waved it in the air. A haze of light and a peal of bells filled the air.

"Close. Close, but not quite… try this one" she handed Harry the second wand. "Very controversial this one: elder and daemon horn. 13 inches, naturally. Good for ...curses"

As Harry touched this one, fire seemed to billow from him, and faces appeared in the flames. Harry dropped it sinstantly, and at the shop owner's startled look, he muttered

"It's _dirty_"

She nodded in understanding

"Then maybe _this_ one." And she took out the last wand. Harry fell in love with it on the spot. He knew, he _knew_, that this was the one. It had runes flowing up the shaft, and the handle was wrapped in dark leather. She placed it in front of him, and spoke.

"11 and a half inches." She whisperd "I had hoped never to part with it. It is my finest creation. The wood was _given_, not taken, by Yggdrasil, the world tree, and the core. The core. the core is a twist of beard hair taken on the last day of Merlins life. Bound by the world tree herself, this wand is unique."

Harry reached for it. Slowly, he curled his hand round its hilt. The runes up its side gently started to glow a rich purple that spread up the wand until tit thrummed with power. The end let of a blast like a canon, and a huge, ghostly, figure appeared there. It looked around before nodding to itself and seeming to slide back up into the wand and then up towards Harry's head. The hat on Harry's head gave a coughing, hacking noise, and Harry's world went black as a huge role of thunder and a sheet of lightning blasted him through the air and straight through the roof.

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><p>* Before Merlin<p>

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><p>okay, some significant changes, and all for the better (I hope).<p>

thanks to: Doghead13 for letting me use his troll idea,

my betta, Thaumologist

(i heartally recomend you read both)

and to everyone who has reveiwed so far (all two of you)


	3. Chapter 3 the Cup Fiasco

**EDIT!: i can not beleive i cocked up that badly! changed the pre betta bit topost beta. now it should make slightly more sense. if anyone ever sees me do something that stupid again, please tell me so i can rectify it post hast. thank you.**

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><p><em>Extract from the Diary Of The Potters: "… another nifty charm no wizard should ever be without: the tooth cleaning charm. Just point your wand at your face and say 'tersus' whilst waving your wand from side to side…"<em>

Harry landed with a sickening thud, new wand was still clenched in hand, but apart from that, he wasn't sure of anything apart from a ringing in his ears and a numb sensation all down his right arm.

He groaned, his spine feeling like it had been broken it two, and he was _sure_ his left foot should be facing the _other_ direction. His hand flapped vaguely, and Blackclaw came wandering over, followed by the shop owner. Harry coughed twice, then grinned though the pain.

"I think this could be the one"

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><p>As they stepped back into Gringots, (Harry's leg and back having been quickly fixed by the wand maker), Harry and Blackclaw were discussing Harry's, fairly limited, knowledge of muggle banking, and Blackclaw was explaining why it just wasn't feasible to expect that a wizard, who had spells to do everything from wake him up on time to cook his dinner, would remember where he kept his little plastic card, let alone remember a pin number.<p>

Blackclaw led Harry to a back room, and introduced him to a new goblin. This goblin was seated behind a large desk of some deep red wood, and had a box with a scroll upon it on the desk in front of him.

"Mr. Potter, may a present to you the head banker here, Mr. Gringott" said Blackclaw, presenting Harry with the sealed scroll. Harry took it, and slit it open as Gringott started to talk.

"It would normally be considered… unusual for the owner of the bank to carry out a will," said Gringott, his voice deep for a goblin, long fingers nervously spinning a double headed Galleon, the goblin symbol of luck, on the table, "if it weren't for the fact that the will _hasn't_ been carried out. You were meant to receive this on your eleventh birthday, but we have only just been able to locate the blasted thing. let me say, there was a reason everyone called Lilly a charms genius! Now please, read the letter. It was left to you by your mother. Then we can get on with the actual item in question."

Harry blinked rapidly as he unfurled the scroll, and his eyes suddenly felt rather wet.

_ Dearest Harry,_

_If you are reading this, then both James and I died during the war. We are so sorry we can't be there for you darling, and we hope that this can, if not bring us back for you, then at least help you learn a few of the many tips and tricks our family have picked up over the years. It will also contain as many pictures of us as the goblins will be able to find. I hope you can put the knowledge within to good use, though be warned that many of the spells within are much to complicated for your current level. Some spells are also in other languages, and most of the rest are experimental or merely theoretical. Make sure you include any important discoveries on the black pages in the back, and give it to your own children in due time._

_This letter isn't just about some book; it is also I warning about something you really ought to know about as soon as possible: the Potter family curse. The curse, translated from its original language means this: _

_May You Live In Interesting Times. _

_There is a whole story to this curse that I am sure you will learn in due time, and remember, whilst not that threatening on paper, I'm sure you'll understand by the end off your first year just how this curse will effect you._

_Remember, we will always love you, and we will be watching you forever_

_**Except when you grow up and start dating, then we'll give you some privacy**_

_James! I'm sure he could have guessed that!_

_**Best to tell him anyway though. Remember kiddo, always use contracepti—**_

_We will always love you, our beautiful baby boy. __**Always kiddo.**_

Harry hastily wiped his eyes when Gringott coughed quietly, and handed over the box. As inside was a plain brown diary style book, with no markings except a silver clap. Harry picked the book up, and the clasp opened smoothly, offering no clue as to what had been holding it shut. On the first page where the words:

_By James and Lily Potter_

Over this, growing steadily more faint, where streams of names, running from the top of the page to nearly the bottom. The more recent names where all potters, but further back the names changed, until, right at the top of the page, in nearly invisible ink was a name in runes Harry couldn't identify.

Harry quickly flipped to the back and smiled at the first photo. A full page picture of his parents wedding day.

Blackclaw looked over Harry's shoulder a few minutes later when Harry asked

"Hey, Blackclaw, what does that mean? It looks like the gobbledegook from my essay, but I only recognise the last word."

Blackclaw couldn't see anything.

"It just looks blank to me. Here, pass it over."

Harry passed it to Blackclaw, who tried to reaveal the words, "naxvujk, letba cxkbah!" and, with a noise like a small bomb going off, Blackclaw was catapulted over Gringott's chair, and hit the wall with a solid thud.

"It would seem that the diary has rather extensive anti tampering charms on it" said an amused Gringott.

"You think… sir?" muttered Blackclaw, his meagre hair smoking as if he had been struck by lightning.

"If you wish, Mr. Potter, I can assign you a teacher over the summer to teach you gobbledegook. And any other language you might ever want to know. He is a very …good… teacher, although, not what anyone would call… cheap."

"That might be fun. Send him round to The Burrow please. I'm staying at the Weasley's house come tomorrow."

"As you wish" Gringots coughed again, and, looking up from the prone form of Blackclaw, Harry saw the goblin holding out a small piece of rope. "This is your return portkey. To activate it" he carefully placed it in Harry's hand, and put the box containing his purchases on his lap, and grinned sadistically "say ' She sells sea shells on the sea shore, the sea shells that she sells are sea shells for sure,'"

"Uh... she sells shea sells, no, um… she sells sea shells on the shea sore… no. uh… I don't suppose you could activate it manually could you?"

"Of _course _Mr. Potter. Here."

"Thank yo—!" and with a slight puff of displaced air, Harry disappeared from Diagon Alley.

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><p>Harry faceplanted with a thump on his bed, and, with a small poof, the hat Harry had lost during his brief but explosive flight appeared next to him on his bedside table, swivelled to face him, and grinned.<p>

"Hello Mr. Potter." It said, just on the edge of hearing.

Harry looked at it, frowning before shrugging his shoulders. He _must_ have imagined it. Right? He rolled onto his back, trying to get rid off the stiffness caused by too many portkeys to close together. He then sat down on his bed to read The Diary Of The Potters until the Dursleys got up.

_ Contents:_

_Note:_

_This book has been assembled as each wizard or witch has entered another entry, so it was in no particular order. Fortunately, my father, Augustus Potter, added several charms to make entering notes easier that just sticking them to the back, and now, they have grouped themselves (sort off), and anything you add will be sorted, and the contents page will be updated. It's almost like magic!_

_JP._

_Page ii: introduction_

_Page iii: recommended reading order_

_Page 1: The Mind Arts_

_Page 45: Illusions_

_Page 78: Magical Bestiary_

_Page 153: Transfiguration_

_Page 231: Mastering Potions_

Harry skipped down the page until something caught his eye.

_Page 365: Indispensable Spells And Potions_

Thinking he might as well start brushing seeing what charms the magical community considered "indispensable", Harry flipped through the pages, and settled down.

_ Subindex:_

_Section A: Hygiene_

_Section B: Wand Care_

_Section C: House Hold Charms_

Turning to section B, Harry browsed the pages, until the last passage in the section caught his eye.

_Removing the Trace._

_The trace is a magical charm required by law to be applied to any wand on purchase. It allows the Ministry to track any spell used. It is also very easy to remove, as the Ministy does not track adult usage. Simply hold your wand as shown in diagram G, then move it through the motions shown whilst saying "__Aufero". If completed correctly, you will see a blue trail of smoke issue from the wand. If performend incorrectly, no smoke will issue, and expect to receive a notice from the ministry._

Harry smiled. This looked like it would be a great Summer.

"Aufero!" he said, swishing his wand down. A haze of ocean blue smoke trailed from his new wand. He then repeated this with his old wand, receiving more blue smoke.

Harry spent the rest of the day in his room, practicing with any spell that caught his eye, such as a spell to temporarily remove the ability to lie from someone (although it wouldn't force them to reveal anything), or a spell that fired snowballs at the speed of a machine gun. And then a spell to repair many things at once, like a wide ark "Reparo", as most of one side of his room had been smashed with high velocity snow. But it wasn't until he looked at the mind arts page that he really got interested. It sounded quite simple to begin with, and if it could stop him having nightmares like that one a few night ago, and improve his memory at the same time, well then, so much the better.

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><p>It was in this meditative practice state that Mr. Weasley and Ron found Harry the next day. His trunk was packed, and Hedwig was in her cage. Harry was sitting cross legged on his bed, breathing deeply, his eyes closed.<p>

They snapped open when Ron put a hand on his shoulder and shook him.

"Oi, Gerrup! Time to go already!"

Harry looked around blearily and stood up. He stretched his back and grinned in satisfaction as his back popped several times, then he looked a t Ron.

"Ron? What are you doing here? Oh… yeah, right!" He must have 'slept' through all the posturing uncle Vernon would have done.

Harry followed Ron and Mr. Weasley down the stairs and out onto the driveway. The Weasleys had obviously got a new car. It was one of those cars you think off when someone says "vintage".

"Dad got it dead cheap because the axels had broken and the engine wouldn't start. And the paint was scratched, but he got it working again in no time." The paintjob was now Chudley Canons orange. Harry guessed that Ron had chosen the colours.

"Dad thought it would be a good idea to come by floo," Ron explained to a bemused Harry, "but mum told him what a bad idea _that_ was, so we drove. The twins wanted to come too, but there wasn't any room."

Indeed, Harry was surprised Ron had come, but, he supposed, the car must have been made bigger by Mr. Weasley.

Ron helped him get all his stuff into the boot, which was much bigger than it should be, Harry noticed. They then both squeezed past the front seats, and into a huge space that seemed not to be there from outside the car, and relaxed. It was much comfier than it looked, and there was room for Ron to stretch out, until he caught Harry's look and said

"Okay, we _said_ there wasn't enough room for the twins…"

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><p>It took a surprisingly short time to reach the burrow. Harry supposed it must be near the outskirts of London. That or the Weasley's new car had even more "special features" than the old one.<p>

Harry tumbled out with Ron, and they both hauled his trunk up to Ron's room, which was still the same eye-blistering shade as the car.

Harry dumped his stuff next to the camp bed he used whenever he stayed here. After that, Harry followed Ron back downstairs, to be confronted by a most amusing sight. There were two redheaded people that Harry had never seen before, but knew had to be Bill and Charlie who, as their tongues grew steadily larger, slapping the walls and ceiling each time their owners made a sharp turn or sudden movement, chased a laughing set of twins around the room.

Fred and George did an odd thing where they both dived forward and around each other, and Bill, who was following… Fred(? Or maybe George), had to duck rather quickly to avoid crashing into Charlie, who was chasing… George(? Or maybe Fred), but only partly succeeded, and proceeded to knock them both to the ground. The twins then quickly started passing the tongues to each other and, before Bill or Charlie could come to their senses, they were both firmly trussed up with each others tongues.

Mr. Weasley chose this moment to come in, and saw the twins gracefully roll forward in perfect unison, and shake a laughing Harry by the hand simultaneously, before proclaiming that their two older brothers where too greedy for their own good, and the "ton tongue toffees" ought to curb that.

Harry sniggered, and asked "did you mean to just proclaim your guilt in front of your father?"

The twins barely moved, just glancing in the mirror that hung behind Harry, they said

"No worries about that."

"Yeah, dads a champ."

"He wouldn't rat us out to mum."

"She'd kill us!"

Mr. Weasley shook his head, and waved his wand at the two older brothers, who were struggling fiercely, but could do nothing for fear of hurting themselves or the other, and there tongues shrank back into their mouths with a wet "shhhhhhhhhlumk" noise. They immediately jumped to their feet, looking extremely embarrassed, and introduced themselves to Harry.

"Hi, I'm Charlie, how're you doing?" said the smaller, more muscled brother, his hands large and callousedas he shook Harry's.

"And I'm Bill. Nice to meet you Harry." Bill's appearance came as a surprise to Harry, who had always imagined him like an older Percy, as all Harry had heard of him was that he worked at Gringotts, had been head boy, and a prefect beloved of the teqachers; but there really was no other word for Bill and his get up: bill was _cool_. The fang earring was a good touch, as was the long hair.

"Hey Harry!" came a familiar voice

Harry spun around and smiled "Hey Hermione! How's your summer been?"

"Pretty good. How was yours? Did you get our food parcels?"

Harry grimaced. "Yeah, they saved my life! And my summer was… well, the usual"

"Have you heard from…"started Ron, but a look from Hermione shut him up. Harry knew what he had been about to ask, but Ginny was looking at them curiously, so he had decided to drop the subject - for now.

"So, Fred, George, what were those sweets?" asked Harry

"Shh, tell you later. When mum can't hear."

Harry nodded in acceptance, and went to help Bill and Charlie set up the garden for Harry's 13th birthday (and his 4th party), and Ron joined him.

They had only gone a few paces when Hermione's bandy legged, ginger cat Crookshanks came pelting out of the garden, bottle-brush tail held high in the air, as it chased what looked like a muddy potato with legs. Harry recognised it as a gnome. Barely ten inches high, its horny little feet pattered madly as it sprinted across the yard and dived headlong into one of the wellington boots that lay scattered around the door. Harry could hear the gnome giggling as Crookshanks tried to reach it with his paw. Meanwhile, a loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. The source of the commotion was revealed to be Bill and Charlie using their wands to send the two tables crashing into each other at high speed, each attempting to knock the other from the air. Fred and George where cheering, Ginny was laughing, and Hermione was hovering around the hedge, halfway between amusement and anxiety. (1)

As Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off, causing it to spiral gently to the floor, and Fred passed George some money, Harry turned to Ron and asked "hey, Ron, where's Percy?"

Ron replied with a small smile "He's rented a room nearer work. Said the noise was driving him bonkers. He's meeting us at our tent tomorrow."

By seven o'clock, the two tables (now repaired) where groaning under the weight of the party food.

To someone who had been living on increasingly stale cake all summer, it was paradise.

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><p>He dragged himself up to bed, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was being pulled upright by Mrs. Weasley, whispering "Time to go, Harry dear"<p>

* * *

><p>"Er – splinched?" asked Harry.<p>

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><p>"Seven past five from Stoatshead hill" said a voice<p>

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><p>"We'll bet 37 Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts"<p>

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><p>Harry never knew whether he had actually dropped off to sleep or not, all he knew was, quite suddenly, Mr. Weasley was shouting.<p>

"Get up! Ron- Harry – come on now, get up, this is urgent!"

Harry sat up quickly, his oclumency heightened thoughts allowing him to shrug off the fugginess of sleep much quicker than normal.

"What's happening?"

Harry could tell something was wrong. The noises of the campsite had changed. Before there had been happy revelry abd sad commiserations, but now … Now there was the terrified screams of the wounded and scared, and the sound of running feet.

Harry waved his new wand as he jumped to the ground, and as he landed, he was fully dressed in his protective robes. Another wave saw Ron standing next to him, dressed, standing and awake, but more than a little confused.

Mr. Weasley looked at him for a second, then visibly shook himself and said "Come on Harry! Get outside! _Quickly!_"

Harry did as he was told, but stopped in shock as he registered the scene in front of him. Everyone was running, fleeing a steadily swelling group of seemingly faceless men, who were trampling and setting fire to everything in there path. The fleeing crowd easily outnumbered the masked group three to one, but they were all following each other to safety instead of fighting. At this, Harry shook his head ruefully. He _never _would have thought that before reading the tactics section of the chapter on fighting in his book. _Ah well_.

He winced as one of the faceless – _no, not faceless_, he realised, _but_ _masked_- crowd sent a burst of eerie green light and rushing wind that narrowly missed one to the fleeing men. _Hmm_. Maybe running wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Floating along above the men was a grim marionette show of four Muggles, easily fifty foot in the air, being moved and spun. Two of the 'puppets' were very small. Harry felt the anger swell inside him, and he raised his wand, only to be pulled along by Ron and the others as they too ran towards the safe haven of the woods.

Harry watched with longing as Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Percy all ran off in the direction of the masked wizards. Fred grabbed Ginny, and George grabbed Fred, and they all ran off towards the woods, but, in the confused press of bodies, Harry, Ron and Hermione slowly lost sight of them.

* * *

><p>As they reached the end of the trees, Ron let out a loud shout and fell.<p>

"Ron! What happened?" shreiked Hermione, before helping him up.

"Tripped over a tree root" he muttered angrily.

"Well," came a drawling, and entirely unwelcome voice from behind them, "with feet _that_ size it's hard not to"

Harry, Ron and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy was standing alone nearby, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed. He seemed to have been watching the scene on the campsite unfold from between the trees.

Ron told Malfoy to do something he would never dare to say in front of Mrs. Weasley.

"Language, Weasley" said Malfoy, his eyes glitering. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along now? Wouldn't want the mudblood to be spo-" he got no further, because Harry whipped his wand up and pointed it at Malfoys chest, before growling

"Glacias" and with a noise like a sub-machine gun, snowballs pelted from Harry's wand, spattering Malfoy in frozen water. Harry poured more magic through his wand, feeling how much easier it was with his new wand, and the snowballs became a frozen tide, that half buried Malfoy under an avalanche.

"Come on," Harry said, dragging a shocked Ron and Hermione further into the forest, "lets find the others"

* * *

><p>Further down the path, Harry, Ron and Hermione found a group of teenagers arguing vociferously. One of them, a curley haired witch asked them quickly "<em>Où est Madame Maxime? Nouse l'avons perdue –<em>"

"Er – what?" said Ron

"Oh…" the girl who had spoken turned her back on him and as she walked away, they deistictly heard her say " 'Ogwarts."

"Beauxbatons" muttered Hermione.

"What?" asked Ron, again.

"It's a French school Ron. Hermione is just saying that's where they must come from"

"Oh… right" said Ron, already losing interest.

Harry waved his wand, flicking a glowing light into the air above his head, and started walking forwards, the light following him, before a rustling noise made him stop. He was about to start firing off stunners into the hedge when Winky fought her way out from them. She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible was holding her back.

"There is bad wizards about!" she squeaked distractedly, as she leant forwards and laboured to keep running. "people high- high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!"

And she diapered into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the invisible force that was restraining her.

"What's up with her?" asked Ron. "Why can't she run properly?"

"I bet she didn't ask permission to hide," said Harry.

"You know, house elves get a very raw deal!" said Hermione indignantly. "Its slavery, that wha-"

"No," said Harry, cutting her off. "Its not. Would you say cleaning and cooking is a fair price for protection. And life?"

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione. "It's not like they die if they are separated from wizards"

"You know that, do you? Researched it? Found out if house elves want to be free? Here's a tip, Hermione: actually do some research before you go on a rant about slavery, you might be surprised at what you find."

As he finished, he noticed Hermione gaping at him, her mouth open.

"What? It's not like I don't think for myself at all" said Harry. Then he realised she wasn't gaping at him, more at just past him, over his left shoulder. He turned, ready to leap out of the way of a deadly curse or spell, only to find his hat hanging on a branch, seemingly staring him accusingly.

"Oh, yes" it said, completely surprising them all. "just leave me. Get your easily replaced robes, but not your incredibly valuable sentient hat. Hmph. Leave me to be burned down in the tent. Hmph. They _say_ two heads are better than one, but if you're the other, I think I'll be better off on my own!"

Harry continued to stare at it.

"Oh good grief! Put me on you idiot! I don't bite… unless you leave me behind again. Then I might."

Harry carefully reached for it and picked it up, dusted some bark off it, and placed it on his head.

_Ah! Much better. Now then… so… Harry. You get in trouble lots don't you? Oooo! 'potter Family Curse'? Sounds fun! Hmm… let's see… yes…_

The voices continued, but Harry tuned it out, and continued walking down the path, past a group of cackling goblins, and a gaggle of young wizards huddled around three Veela. They where all boasting about something or other, but Harry stopped being interested when he felt something he identified as Veela allure brushing against the new defences in his mind, trying to squeeze into the fortress that Harry now stored his memories in. Harry shot the culprit a venomous look, and did the mental equivalent of pouring boiling oil on the invaders to his mindscape. He felt her withdraw in shock, with no small amount of satisfaction. His book spoke of Veela allure as the third highest test for mind defences, behind a master Legillimens, and the Imperius curse. Harry saw the Veela temporarily reel back in response to his defences, and he shot her a grin. She did not return it.

Unfortunately, the Veela that Harry blocked now seemed to concentrate on Ron. Harry idly wondered if she was a paedophile, but pushed it from his mind, as Ron shouted "Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?" at the top of his lungs. Both Harry and Hermione grabbed one of Ron's arms and dragged him away.

* * *

><p>By the time the sounds of the Veela's admirers trying to outdo each other had left their ears, Harry, Ron, Hermione and the hat where in the heart of the forest. It was much quieter here, almost deserted. Almost as soon as he thought that, Ludo Bagman emerged from the trees in front of them.<p>

From the light given of by Harry's portable star, they could all see the great change that seemed to have come over Bagman. He looked strained and very white.

"Who's that?" he half-shouted at them, "What are you doing out here? All alone?"

They looked at each other in surprise, even the hat sending a faint note of confusion down the link.

"Well – there's sort of a riot going on," said Ron.

Bagman stared at him. "What?"

"On the campsite… some people have got hold of a family of Muggles …"

Bagman swore loudly. "Oh fucking hell!" he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he disapperated with a small _pop_.

"Not exactly on top of things is he?" said Hermione, frowning.

"He was a great beater though," said Ron, walking over to a small clearing and sitting down on a patch of grass. "The Wimborne Wasps won the league three times in a row when he was with them."

He took out his small model Krum from his pocket and watched it wander around for a while. Like the real Krum, it was slightly duck footed and round shouldered.

Harry listened intently. He couldn't hear anything. Maybe it was over.

"I hope the others are ok" said Hermione after a while.

"They'll be fine" said Ron.

"Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy," said Harry, "Your dads always saying he'd like to get something on him."

"That'd wipe the smirk off Draco's face, all right," said Ron.

"Know what else would?" asked Harry, "knowing that there is an area of Diagon Alley that he can't afford to step foot on!"

Ron froze. "How do you know about Golden road?"

"Well," shrugged Harry, "I went there over the before i came to yours. You know, new robes and stuff."

"Typical!" snorted Ron, but he was stopped from saying anything else by the sound of footsteps.

"Hello?" called Harry, but he was answered with silence.

Harry stood up and looked around the tree he had been sitting against.

"Anyone there?" he called, waving his wand to send the miniature Lumos star floating towards where he thought the footsteps came from.

Then, without warning, a voice bellowed a single word that sounded like a spell.

"_MORSMORDRE!_"

And something vast, green, and glittering flew up from the one patch of darkness that the miniature star couldn't penetrate. It flew up, over the treetops and into the sky.

"What the-?" said Ron, as he sprang back to his feet, staring at the thing that had appeared in the sky.

Harry looked up at the sky, at the colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its grinning mouth like a macabre tongue. As they watched, it rose steadily higher, a new blazing hellish green constellation.

"We need to move" said Harry, just as the woods all around them erupted into screams, but then, the hat on Harry's head seemed to grow incredibly heavy, like it had transformed into lead. It was Harry could do to stagger drunkenly off to one side and fall down. Just as Ron and Hermione knelt down to help him, bursts of red light and cries of stupefy shot from all directions, flying a foot over their heads. The jets of red light collided in the air, shot of into the darkness, and rebounded of tree trunks, and at least three of the original twenty wizards who Apparated in where scythed down by there team-mates errant stunners.

"STOP!" came a voice all three on the ground recognised. "That's my son! STOP!"

Harry's hair stopped blowing about, and he raised his head to see Mr. Weasley running towards them.

"Ron – Harry-" his voice was shaking, "– Hermione – are you alright?"

"Out of the way Arthur" Came a cold, curt voice; closely followed by its owner – Mr. Crouch.

He and the other ministry wizards were closing in on them. Mr. Crouch's face was taught with rage.

"Which of you did it?" he snapped, dark eyes rolling between them.

"We didn't do anything!" said Harry

"Do not lie, boy!" shouted Mr. Crouch, looking deranged, "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

Harry proved further discussion unnecessary by pointing his wand at Mr. Crouch and saying "I'm Harry bloody Potter. This is Hermione Granger. A _muggleborn_. And this is Ronald Weasly. Nephew of Gideon and Fabius Prewitt. Do you really think we'd send _that_ up?" asked Harry angrily, before adding under his breath "Prick"

"Then… who did?" Mr. Crouch almost whispered.

"We heard a voice from over there" Harry said, pointing towards the bushes.

Amos Diggory immediately went stomping off, and returned a minute later with an unconscious elf in one arm and a wand in the other hand.

"We hit someone alright. Isn't this your elf Barty? And she had a wand, look!"

Harry shouted out as Amos held the wand up. "Hey! That's mine!"

"Don't be silly Harry! You have your wand. Its right there" said Hermione, pointing at the wand in Harry's hand. "Hang on…" she said "this isn't your wand Harry!"

"I got a new one over the summer Hermione, but that's my old wand, right there!"

Amos looked at Arthur and said "Is this true Arthur?"

"Well, it certainly looks like Harry's old wand alright, Amos."

All through this, Mr. Crouch was staring at the elf in Mr. Diggorys arms muttering,

"no… can't be….this….no…."

"Well, Mr. Diggory, if that's all, can I have my wand back?" asked Harry politely.

"What? Oh… er… give me a second _prior incantato"_ he watched a large, but insubstantial, grey and ghostly skull drift upward for a second and then nodded to himself. "Well, Mr. Potter, your wand was used in a crime, and we really can't spare it at the moment… but I suppose…"

"No," said Harry, thinking quickly "That's alright, if you need it, just send it to me once you are done."

Amos nodded and promised to do so, saying he would send it through his son.

Harry grabbed Mr. Weasley and Hermione and steered them away from the group, just as Mr. Crouch exploded. They could still here his angry yell ringing in their ears twenty minutes later when they reached the tent.

* * *

><p>(1) Yes, that is straight from the book<p> 


	4. Author note

Unfortunately, I am currently rewriting this story, so that it contains a plot, a plan, and will generally be better. I will aim to complete the first few chapters as soon as possible.

Thank you for you patience, Mak00


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